New Smyrna Speedway Results

[kendo]

Super Stock count was ok. :

The thunder stock class is equivalent to the super stocks,,,VSP had 40 Saturday night

[Phil Jacques]

Roll your eyes all you want, Yankee Phil! Speedbowl sounds like it's headed in the right direction but I don't miss the ironfisted Arutes, the pain-in-the-ass Thompson Thursdays (mostly gone now) and the entire-life-encompassing-working-on-the-car-constantly weekly racing grind.

I was rolling my eyes regarding what you said about the beating and banging here... You should know that's what happens when you actually have more than 7 cars on the track lol

[Ryan29]

I think part of the issue is all the tracks around here run on the same night! Thunder Road runs on Thurday night and still gets the show in before it gets late. When I was up there I had to work at 6:30 and yet I always went to the race track no matter what since the on track product was so good. It would be nice to see some tracks run of different nights so more drivers might show up.

[scottgarrity07]

I was rolling my eyes regarding what you said about the beating and banging here... You should know that's what happens when you actually have more than 7 cars on the track lol

No, that (for the most part) doesn't happen here with 20 cars on the track. No matter what the size of the field that "bump n run" mentality is not as prevalent. People respect each other more on the racetrack here. Guys wait for the clean pass. The size of the field has nothing to do with it. Sure, with larger fields here there is more "rubbing" than with a short field. But that's just the nature of the beast. For example, the move Scofield made on Dutilly a while back at Desoto that erupted into bedlam happens at just about every SK Modified race at every track in CT.

[OldSchool+]

Huh.

Maybe that is why the crowds are bigger, but the fields...?

Again, I believe they are just more passionate up there. More history. Mo money.

And they got "Yankee Phil", but is he a dandy?

[Phil Jacques]

Huh.

Maybe that is why the crowds are bigger, but the fields...?

Again, I believe they are just more passionate up there. More history. Mo money.

And they got "Yankee Phil", but is he a dandy?

I am indeed one dandy mothertrucker! lol

[Phil Jacques]

No, that (for the most part) doesn't happen here with 20 cars on the track. No matter what the size of the field that "bump n run" mentality is not as prevalent. People respect each other more on the racetrack here. Guys wait for the clean pass. The size of the field has nothing to do with it. Sure, with larger fields here there is more "rubbing" than with a short field. But that's just the nature of the beast. For example, the move Scofield made on Dutilly a while back at Desoto that erupted into bedlam happens at just about every SK Modified race at every track in CT.

Florida drivers in general are more mature age wise also. There are a lot more punk ass silver spoon kids up here where mommy and daddy pay the bill while the kid plays his xbox.

As much as I love Dale Earnhardt, you can thank him for making people think that kind of racing is how racing should be.

That said, you apparently have not watched a limited sportsman or Late Model race up here in many years.

When it comes to SK... There is a simple solution to chill them out... Mandate an .049 wall thickness on the nerf tubing instead of the .095 they run now. THAT will fix things real fast.

[Don Nerone]

It's not as bad as it appears. Pro Lates don't usually draw a ton of cars for 25 lappers, Mod Mini's are a dying class and the Bombers are a new division that is steadily increasing its car count. Super Stock count was ok. Revisit this after this Saturday when the mighty Sportsman class brings their 20+ car count. Don, do you think the tire change has anything to do with the resurgence of the Sportsman??? LOL!

I thing the tire has the most impact on the car count.
I was talking about the weekly racing car count. There special show car count is great. Those cars are coming from all over the state. The problem is that the local cars aren't here.
VSC is in the same market and has a great local car count 400% greater?
Something is bad wrong. In 2007 there were car counts over 100 read the wall . we posted the car count on the pit office wall every time it was over 100 Im sure they painted over that.

don62


don62

[scottgarrity07]

I thing the tire has the most impact on the car count.
I was talking about the weekly racing car count. There special show car count is great. Those cars are coming from all over the state. The problem is that the local cars aren't here.
VSC is in the same market and has a great local car count 400% greater?
Something is bad wrong. In 2007 there were car counts over 100 read the wall . we posted the car count on the pit office wall every time it was over 100 Im sure they painted over that.

don62


don62

I think 2008 is what happened to the 2007 car counts. The deepest recession since the Great Depression certainly took its toll on car counts. Typically things like advertising are the first things cut from businesses looking to cut corners. Bye-bye race sponsorship. Now dirt racing, for some reason rebounded quicker but there are many factors hurting local asphalt car counts. The tire deal definitely helped Sportsman and Super Stock guys. The other classes need changes to help affordability. I'm not sure Super Lates and Pro Lates are viable as weekly race cars anymore. Even if you run 25 laps, those cars need tires every week. Weekly purses just don't sustain that. OWM motor costs are out of control. On the West Coast the purses can sustain that. At NSS, not so much. The change in tires helps for the NSS guys, just not enough to draw new cars though. Changing the motor rules will piss off the current front runners so I'm not sure what will help. It's not as easy a fix as the tires was for the Sportsman guys. The Modified Mini class always confounded me. 4cyl classes are supposed to be affordable. Tube frame mini Late Models are not. Especially when you are running for a lower division type purse. I wish there was an easy fix. What it will take is for drivers in these classes to say "What is good for my class's prosperity", not just "what is good for me". I think we did that with Sportsman and it's starting to work. The answers can only come from the people who race those particular cars. They are the one's who know what they need.

[MJM10]

True, car counts here are not as big as in New England but there are other factors here in Florida that make racing just as (if not more) enjoyable. There are many reasons for the smaller car counts but the biggest one IMO is 12 months of racing as opposed 6 months up nawth. I like being able to go racing all year long and the variety and number of tracks here is outstanding. I find the racing here is more gentlemanly also (not as rough as NE). Welcome to Florida, Ryan. Things take a little getting used to. But once you do, I think (like me) you'll prefer the racing environment here, as opposed to the northeast.

Car counts mean nothing if there are no fans in the stands. I have been to a lot of southern short track races and other than the snowball derby, I have not seen a crowd as big or intense as Stafford up here. Even when New Smyrna gets the cars they still don't get the fans. As for the beating and banging, unfortunately that is what draws a crowd. You can't hear the commentary at a short track so if you are not seeing beating and banging you are watching cars go around in circles. To say it's passing and two wide racing that draws a crowd is just not realistic because there is not enough of it. The people around New Smyrna just aren't into it, maybe the track ruined it a while ago and there's no repairing it. At Stafford the fans are wearing the drivers shirts, there are rivalries, people booing, cheering, etc. I am embarrassed when I bring my friends to watch me at New Smyrna, they think it's a joke because all these guys are driving their asses off and spending all this money to race for a win in front of fifty people. I consider it my home track so I wish it would change.

Phil I'm not sure what you are referring to as far as the NE Mod rules package, I ran my car at NSS the exact way it is set up for the WMT. I think what destroyed it is lack of car count due to cost. Once a few guys didn't go, the rest said well its not that big of a deal, I guess we don't need to go. Just my opinion, hopefully it will get better.

[xracer54]

Hey Scott

No, that (for the most part) doesn't happen here with 20 cars on the track. No matter what the size of the field that "bump n run" mentality is not as prevalent. People respect each other more on the racetrack here. Guys wait for the clean pass. The size of the field has nothing to do with it. Sure, with larger fields here there is more "rubbing" than with a short field. But that's just the nature of the beast. For example, the move Scofield made on Dutilly a while back at Desoto that erupted into bedlam happens at just about every SK Modified race at every track in CT.

What would you know about racing anyways, I dont think that I have seen you try to race with more then 7 cars at one time. If you go to any place other then DSS ,you just might get to race with a few cars that do RUB. If there are 20 cars and 25 laps, Thats not much time, unless you just came to a rolling car show. WE are here to race.We are here to put on a show.We are here to give the fans what they came for. Maybe thats why you show 5 or 6 times a year, and then cry because someone gave you a bump. GET WITH THE SHOW! This is a race, not a car show.

[OldSchool+]

XRacer:

>>I am a fan.
>>Also enjoy Mr. Garrity's company & perspective.

>I like close racing, such as you mention, and if it is close, sooner or later someone needs new sheetmetal and/or a front clip. It is okay with me, I go home and go to bed.

>BUT, in this day of decreasing car count (making the show suck for the fans that you mention), from a racer's perspective, who wants to pay for torn up stuff? And if they cannot, one less car on the track.

A straightforward question with no offense meant: In your case, is it your money per se?

Because in Scott's, am fairly certain it is his.

Not saying I don't understand, even support, your position. Just saying there are a field of cars on the track, with a different story behind each car. However, the number of cars is not what it once was. With all the adversity in 2015, am thinking we should pull together, as opposed to against each other.

[scottgarrity07]

Car counts mean nothing if there are no fans in the stands. I have been to a lot of southern short track races and other than the snowball derby, I have not seen a crowd as big or intense as Stafford up here. Even when New Smyrna gets the cars they still don't get the fans. As for the beating and banging, unfortunately that is what draws a crowd. You can't hear the commentary at a short track so if you are not seeing beating and banging you are watching cars go around in circles. To say it's passing and two wide racing that draws a crowd is just not realistic because there is not enough of it. The people around New Smyrna just aren't into it, maybe the track ruined it a while ago and there's no repairing it. At Stafford the fans are wearing the drivers shirts, there are rivalries, people booing, cheering, etc. I am embarrassed when I bring my friends to watch me at New Smyrna, they think it's a joke because all these guys are driving their asses off and spending all this money to race for a win in front of fifty people. I consider it my home track so I wish it would change.

Phil I'm not sure what you are referring to as far as the NE Mod rules package, I ran my car at NSS the exact way it is set up for the WMT. I think what destroyed it is lack of car count due to cost. Once a few guys didn't go, the rest said well its not that big of a deal, I guess we don't need to go. Just my opinion, hopefully it will get better.

Hey Matt, I think the car counts being low are the direct cause of there being low attendance. As previously noted, the VSP dirt track across town has big car counts and big crowds. While I agree that "rubbin is racin" and that there needs to be excitement to entertain, knocking a guy into the third groove because you don't have the skill or patience to execute a clean pass is uncalled for. Most fans come for the excitement of close racing but I guess there are some that come for the wrecks and fights. That being said Stafford is rougher racing than you find in FL (raced there for 8 years) but Thompson is much cleaner (except for some SK races) and still packs them in.

I totally agree with you about the diminished Tour Mod count at the World Series. After 2008 when the economy tanked and some Tour guys decided not to come the event lost some of it's lustre in Mod racing circles. It was always a huge financial sacrifice to make the trip from the Northeast. I guess a lot of guys just don't see the prestige in it anymore. Sad.

[Ryan29]

I was actually surprised the crowd was so big a New Smyrna last Saturday. Considering what was on the card, I thought if was a nice crowd and no one left early!

[Phil Jacques]

Phil I'm not sure what you are referring to as far as the NE Mod rules package, I ran my car at NSS the exact way it is set up for the WMT. I think what destroyed it is lack of car count due to cost. Once a few guys didn't go, the rest said well its not that big of a deal, I guess we don't need to go. Just my opinion, hopefully it will get better.

There were a number of teams here last year (2014) that refused to go down or make the trip because of the cylinder head and weight rules. The guys I talked to and things I saw on FB just said NSS was not making it worth their while because of the little changes here and there that they had to make. It all adds up. They need to stop trying to sanction the cars as tight as they do. You have ROC mods, WMT mods, MRS mods here and they all have little differences yet all seem to run competitively on the Tri Track series we run here without changes. Let them run as an Open Tour Type Modified divisions like they do up here. Tech by the series rule book that your car originates from. If you are a WMT car, run WMT rules, if you are MRS car, run by MRS rules. It's really simple. The cars are close enough here that it doesn't make a huge performance difference and when guys start having to spend money to change their cars for a special event like the World Series, it cuts into their budget to allow them to make the trip. Get what I mean? Hell, I would even allow the SK cars a weight break or some left side weight and a 4bbl to let them run too.